Bittersweet Vengeance
by MidnaVocaloid02
Summary: Claire Adams finds out where Charles Lee is escaping off to and thinks it's her blade that's going to end his life. What'll happen when she confronts him? I don't own Assassin's Creed. Claire, Michael, and Zelda belong to me.


Bittersweet Vengeance

"Boston?" She repeated. "You're sure?"

"Yes." He nodded. "Just be careful, Claire. Lee… Father isn't going to go easy on you."

"I don't expect him to, Michael." Claire spat. "I'm bloody tired of hiding and sneaking around. If Connor doesn't kill him, I will."

And with that Claire ran off. She pushed her way through the crowds and ran towards edge of the city with everything she had. Her brother watched her disappear and then made himself a ghost before anything happened.

Claire watched the docks and saw an atrocious yellow cape. She balled her fists and resisted the urge to run at him. She watched as he disappeared into the crowd of people that walked aimlessly. A few unknown guards clutched to his coattails as he scampered off. Claire looked at New York's harbor and turned towards the Frontier.

When Claire arrived at Boston, she searched for her allies; the recruits that Connor had spent his time finding and training. She made her way to a tavern not far from the docks. It was called the Green Dragon. Shifty eyes squinted her way and made her uneasy. She shrugged them off and found a familiar black priest uniform. She sat down across from him and didn't make eye contact for a few seconds.

"Where's Connor?" He asked.

"New York." Claire answered. "He's on his way. I need your help with something."

Claire ordered the recruits to search the harbor for any suspicious people; especially any that we easily recognized as Templars. Claire helped their search too, but tried to stay out of the harbor where he might be.

The recruits reported nothing going on a few days later. During the final couple of days, Claire decided to make help out. She looked around, spying a few recruits as she searched. She sighed impatiently as she heard random chatter from all over the docks. Sailors passed by with the crummy stench of ale and the sickening scent of salt. It made her nose twitch just thinking of the sea itself. And the dock workers weren't any better as they passed by with the rotten stench of fruit or meat.

"Loving the weather?" The recruit from earlier smirked.

"Keep it up, Duncan." Claire sighed. "There just isn't enough to do in my life yet."

"Why don't you go rest?" Duncan sighed. "You must be exhausted."

"I'll rest once the Templars here are dead." Claire said with finality. She stormed off into another direction as she tried to cool off.

Claire leaned against an alley near a tavern's entrance. She waited and looked. Her patience wearing thing as she tried to calm herself. Her body felt like it was one fire. She could run around the whole of Boston and still have enough energy to do it again. It was killing her to not know when he was going to come. He left right after she did. So he couldn't be far behind… right?

"Is that another boat from New York?" A sailor squawked.

"Looks like it." Another coughed.

He was here.

When he touched the pier, something felt off. He cautiously looked around and saw a few curious eyes. He sighed. A few Assassins couldn't kill him. Especially recruits. He scanned the harbor and spotted a few more. He squinted his amber eyes and noticed a pattern between them. He smirked and bravely ventured into the Boston docks without a doubt. The recruits weren't going to attack. They were searching the harbor for their master's sake. This'll be the day Connor regrets starting a fight with the Templars.

_iI wonder where he is…/i_ He thought as he immersed himself in the crowds and searched.

Something whispered that he should run in the back of his mind. He'd come this far. Now wasn't the time to quit. Though… there was something about this search that was different from the others. It was as if the role of predator had been reversed…

He looked over his shoulder cautiously. Why did it feel like he was remembering that horrid memory again?

Claire's eyes caught the atrocious cape and coat that she had searched for. She noticed his brave look and sighed. He wasn't going to get off this easily… not yet at least. She also noticed the fervent look in his eyes. She gritted her teeth as she thought about what it was that made him uneasy. Someone came by and touched her shoulder. She looked to see Duncan once more.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked with worried eyes.

Claire looked at his dark eyes and then to the ground. She looked up at the Templar that stood a little ways from her. She took a quick look at her wrist and nodded.

"Yes." She said. "I've spent the last 20 years waiting and I might not get this chance again…"

Duncan nodded and ran off. Claire slipped past a few of the recruits and tapped their shoulders. They all scattered away and made for the roofs. Claire's gaze at her target and didn't drop. She cracked her knuckles and rubbed her coat cuffs. She slipped past a few people and entered his line of sight.

He scoffed as he looked at the woman who passed him. Is she the true leader? Samuel Adams' niece and what a treat it was to just figure out that she was an Assassin after Hickey's death, but after what happened to Haytham and then at New York... He followed her into an alley, fully knowing it was a trap. He put his hand on his pistol and rounded the corner. The feeling from before taunted his mind and he shook it off. It was as if someone right next to him was telling him to run away and give up.

But to take such advice would be cowardly. He was a Templar and this… this monster that helped in the destruction of his Order had to be killed.

Claire slid into the shadows nearby and waited. Only a few more seconds and the Templar Order in the British Colonies were done for… and her treacherous father would be gone from existence. She gulped and gripped her dagger. Quick and painless; that was the plan. She looked around for a few vantage points and hid in the nearby brush.

Lee smirked. She was hiding, like any other Assassin would. Typical… and cowardly. He brandished his pistol and looked around.

"Where are you Assassin?" He called out.

He walked over to a pile of hay and examined it. He grabbed a pitchfork and started to rummage through the hay. He felt eyes leering at him. Waiting for him to turn his back as he searched. He wouldn't give that monster any succor, not from him and not from anyone. The Assassins are a parasite upon the world and they don't even understand the goal that could be made to just secure a location at the British Colonies.

He made his way into another area of the alley. He noticed the brush and trees around him. His amber eyes searched the trees and the roof tops, the parts he could see, as best he could. The pitchfork in his hand became an instrument for his rage as his knuckles turned white.

"Where are you?!" He screamed in frustration.

Claire could feel the anger in his voice. She felt something tugging at her mind and shook it off. Now isn't the time for any regrets or last minute decisions. She gripped her dagger and lunged at her father.

"Right here, Templar!" She roared.

Lee turned and used his pistol's barrel as he shield. He stared into her eyes and felt that little voice in the back of his head. It was telling him to stop but he couldn't. For some reason… this monster could pass for her… It was like staring into the past once more.

He gritted his teeth and sent her flying back. She grabbed her sword and jabbed at him. He blocked her attacks with the pitchfork. He faltered in his steps and felt a sharp whip from her blade. He felt sick as he watched the sly look appear on her face as it usually did. She held her sword like a fencer would, except the blade was aimed at the ground and her other hand clenched that dagger.

"You fight well… for a heathen." He spat.

"So we're going to resort to that, are we?" She scoffed.

Everything about her at this moment… made him feel sick. How can someone who looked like her be this vile? Her pale blue eyes made him gulp as he fidgeted with his gun.

He was hesitating? Claire couldn't believe it. Now of all times he was thinking of her likeness to her mother. She furrowed her brows and pursed her lips. She couldn't believe this man. He didn't know who she was, even after all this time...

Claire clenched her blade and lunged at him. She watched as he jumped back and swatted her blade away with the pitchfork. Claire twirled and dodged the attack. She put her foot on his weapon and kicked him back.

Lee stumbled and readied himself for another round. He used his pistol's barrel to block the attacks. He soon found himself trapped as he bumped into a few barrels. He waited for Claire to lunge at him again. As soon as she tried to pull back, he smirked. Her weapon was stuck and her defenses were down. He quickly rammed his elbow into her chest and sent her stumbling back.

Claire managed to regain her footing but only to be caught off-guard once more. He ran at her with her sword and disarmed her. Claire gulped and tried to think of a way out. There has to be something she could do.

Like a trapped rat. Lee grinned and watched as she helplessly tried to search for a way out of this. He had the upper hand, with having more experience in fights. He felt a little disappointed at the result of this fight. During the few times they had fought together as they stopped British Troops and uncovered information, he could only hope but to expect more.

Lee lunged at her a few times. She was just as nimble as she was when she was alive. He managed to catch her off guard and destroy her hidden blades.

She stared at them in horror as they fell to the ground helplessly. Her pale blue eyes darted back to him. Claire knew it was only a matter of time before this would end badly but she had the recruits nearby. She put a hand over her mouth and whistled.

"Think again." Lee said as a bullet tore through the air. Several people appeared a few seconds after the sound echoed in the alley. He scoffed as they bared their fangs at him like rabid animals. He reloaded his gun once more and watched as the monster slowly rose to her feet.

_iNot much left./i_ Was all she could think of as she slowly stood up. Claire grabbed her shoulder and fell back into the wall behind her. She looked at the Templar as he finished reloading he gun. She shifted her gaze at the recruits and darted between them and the Templar.

"Now now." Lee sighed. "It'd be unfortunate to kill your Mentor now."

He watched the uncertainty cross through the Assassins minds. The beast in front of him trying to stare him down seemed like a joke. His black brows rose in curiosity as her necklace glowed.

Claire looked at him bewildered and looked down a little to see a glow. After a few seconds, the glow disappeared and the tension grew. The recruits were unsure of what to do. They could all jump the Grand Master from where he stood and watch her die or they could stand there and watch her die. She didn't like the options but she may have met her match.

"Claire?" Someone called out. Their eyes shifted to an older man with a blue coat. He seemed curious about what was going on and ran over to her.

"Claire?" He repeated. "What are you doing?"

"Since I can't kill you without your pups to do anything in return," Lee started as he aimed for the man. "Then I might as well do what I promised Connor."

Claire's eyes widened. Terror echoed through her mind as memories of her mother's death returned and the peaceful smile taunted her again. Claire shook her head and stared at the middle aged man. She ran towards him with everything she had.

"Sam! DUCK!" She hollered as the bullet echoed.

"Dammit!" Michael cursed as he ran towards the gunshot. He pleaded it to not be what he expected. When he arrived at the alley he froze in fear. Samuel Adams was shaking on the ground as Claire struggled to stand. Michael ran over to her and looked at the terror eyed man in front of them.

"Stay down, Claire." He said. "You're only going to make things worse."

"How can I?" She coughed hoarsely. "My own father tried to kill me."

Everything stopped. Michael's brows furrowed and he gritted his teeth. He glimpsed over at Charles Lee with his familiar amber eyes. Lee's expression was that of surprise. He scoffed. Despicable. He really had the spell it out for him in the end.

"You can't really be surprised… can you?" Michael asked. The recruits split up, half standing behind Michael and the other half running towards Adams and Claire.

"She's just like Mother." Michael said.

"She is my sister…" Michael paused for a moment. "…And your daughter."

"Nonsense!" Lee said. "My daughter ran away to be with those heathens."

"And she didn't!" Michael yelled. "This whole time she was in Boston with Uncle Sam. Enjoying the life she needed but was lifeless without her mother, the one y-"

"STOP!" Lee cried out. "Stop…"

Lee stared at the broken figure on the ground. Samuel Adams ran over and tried to help the recruits, a couple ran out of the alley in search of help. He didn't know what to say but he knew Michael was right. Claire, the monster and demon he called before, is his daughter. His eyes flickered to Michael's demonic gaze.

"Connor's on his way here." Michael said and left the troubled man to himself as he sat by his sister's side.

Lee watched as Michael tried to stop the bleeding. He watched as Claire's eyes struggled to see him. It was like Zelda had told him once. Children reflect what they learn from their parents. It didn't matter who they looked like or who they acted like. As he stared into Claire's pale blue eyes, he saw a reflection of himself when Haytham arrived in the Colonies for the first time. Lee shook his head as he felt guilt rid his mind. He shook his head and disappeared from the scene.

Michael looked back to see if his father was there. He felt some relief as Connor came running up to him. Michael let Duncan try to hold her up. He frowned as he watched his sister fight back the urge to faint. He sighed and walked towards the white robed man.

"Connor." Michael said.

"What happened?" Connor demanded.

"Don't worry." Michael said as he raised his hand. "You have to stop Lee."

Connor stared at the Assassin in front of him and then to the Assassin on the floor who had saved his life countless times before. He closed his eyes and nodded.

Michael watched as Connor ran off to finish what the siblings had failed to do from the start. If anyone could get close enough to kill Charles Lee, their father, it was Connor.


End file.
